Affair in Araby eBook

“Very well, I will do that. And I shall
meet you at the station in the morning?”

“No. My party will go as far as Ludd by
motor. You will see us join the train there.
Go now, while the guard is out of the way.”

I could not see, but I heard Yussuf Dakmar get up
and go. He had hardly time to get out of earshot
when Grim’s voice broke the silence again:

“You there, Ramsden?”

Instead of answering I approached.

“Did you hear what was said?” he asked.

“Yes. Why didn’t you arrest both
the blackguards and have done with it?”

“Better the evil that we know...” he answered,
with the familiar smile in his voice. “The
important thing is to sidetrack the French agent,
who could put fifty ruffians on our trail instead of
one.”

“Why not send a provost-marshal’s guard
to the French agent, then?”

“Can’t do that. France and Great
Britain are allies. Besides, they might retaliate
by spiflicating our agent in Damascus. Wise folk
who live in glass-houses don’t throw stones.
What I think has been accomplished is to reduce our
probable risk down to Yussuf Dakmar, who’s a
mean squib at best; and I think we’ve drawn
suspicion clear away from Mabel Ticknor. All
that remains is for me to go to that room where you
see the light burning and discuss matters with the
chief.”

“Yes,” he said. “Governments
are all like that. They talk glibly of the ship
of state; but a ship run in the same way would pile
up or sink the first night out. You’d
better go home and get an hour’s sleep; I’ll
call you at seven.”

“We’ll take turns sleeping on the train,”
I answered. “Come first and rescue Jeremy.
I think the guard pinched him. Say, did you
intend one of us to go and decoy the guard away that
time you raised your voice?”

“Sure. Recognized your voices—­yours
especially—­when you passed, and heard you
breathe as you crept back. You nearly spoilt
the game by turning out the guard, but you saved it
again handsomely.”

“It’s a marvel those Sikhs didn’t
shoot Jeremy in the dark,” I answered.

“You bet it is,” said Grim. “I
guess he’s too useful to be allowed to die just
now.”

He hung his head, thinking, as we walked side by side.
“That was a close shave—­too close!
Well, as you say, let’s go and rescue him.”

CHAPTER VII

“You talk like a madman!”

Grim changed the plan a little at the last minute.
Mabel Ticknor left Jerusalem by train, as agreed,
but Narayan Singh was sent that way too, to keep an
eye on her. He being a Sikh, could sit in the
corridor without exciting comment, and being dressed
for the part of a more or less prosperous trader,
he could travel first class without having to answer
questions or allay suspicion.